elker



B. P. ELKER.

MECHANICAL MOVEMENT.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9, 1918.

Patented Nov. 18, 1919.

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15 H J8 k 1 mung l 2 5 T I II I I WITNESS B. P. ELKEB. MECHANICAL MOVEMENT. APPLICATION FILED MAR- 9,1918.

2 SHEETSSHEEY 2 Patented Nov. 18,1919.

UNITED STATES BERNARD r. nurse, or rrrrsnueerr, rnmvsirnvanin.

MECHANICAL meanest.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 18, 1919.

Application filed. March 9, 1918. Serial an; 221423.

v l v y 1 reversing mechanism particularly adapted for use with a washing machine having a tub or cylinder adapted to be rocked or rotated in one direction and then reversed to be rocked Or rotated in the opposite direction, but which apparatus may be adapted to a great diversity of arts aside from the washing machine art. The device'has for its principal objects; the provision of a reversing mechanism that reverses the shaft carrying the load with a minimum of shock to the driving medium and the motor; the provision of a gear driven reversinginechanism wherein the driving gears moving in opposite directions are meshed with the gears of the load shaft before the reversing action takes place, whereby the gears are not liable to be stripped owing to insuflicient engagement of the teeth at the time the shaft is reversed; the provision of a revers ing mechanism wherein proper meshing of mterrupted gears 1s lnsured at all tunes whether the motor be stopped or running;

the provision of a reversing mechanism that yielclingly slows up the load before its re versal, and such other objects as may hereinafter appear. One embodiment of the in vention is illustrated in the accoinpanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of the form of'reversing mechanism best adapted toillustrate the principle of the device; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the mechanism with one of the gears removed; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic showing of the relative position of the re vcrsing elements placed side by side for clearness; and Figs. 4L and 5 are diagrammatic showings of the same elements superimposed showing the relative position of parts at different stages of the operation.

Referring to the drawings, the mechanism comprises a pair of interrupted gears 1 and. 2 mounted for rotation upon an auxiliary shaft 3, and are adapted to be drivenflcontinuously in opposite directionsof rotation by means of spot gears f and 5, respectively.

These spur gears 4t and 5 may be cast into; gral with the interrupted gears or they be secured thereto in any preferred manner. The spur gear 5 is driven by a pinion which is keyed to a shaft 7 carrying at its lower en a worm when 8" adapted teniesh with a worm 9 secured to the shaft 10' which is adapted tobe driven any suit-ablemotor. The spur gear 4L rotated in theopposite direction to' that of tliespur gear 5 through the medium (if a gear 11 mounted for rotation'upon a shaft 12' (Fig.1); The gear 11 is driven by a pinion 13 keyed to a shaft 14 carrying at itslower end a worm wheel 15 meshing with a worm 16 also keyed. tothe motor shaft 10.

The woriiis 9 and 16 have the same direction of pitch and therefbre rotation of the shaft 10 will cau's e the interrupted gear 1 to be rotated in one direction and the interrupted gear 2 to be rotated inthe opposite direction continuously.

It is the object of thismechanism to cause the rotation of a load shaft 17 first in one direction for a' certain interval and then to cause its direction ofrotation to be reversed. It is another object of this inventioli'to provide means for carrying out and to cause' this reversal of the load shaft 17 with a minimum shock to the driving mechanism and the motor andthe apparatus connecting the load shaft 17 with the interrupted gears foraccOmplishing this end consisting of a pair of driven gears 18 and 19 adapted to mesh with the interrupted gears 1 and 2, respectively, when the interrupted gears are rotated into operative engagement therewith.

1 and 2 and the driven gears18 and 19 are diagrammatically shown side by side forthe purpose of clearhess, and it will be seen that against relative movement with respect to the shaft 17 an arm 23which extends jra dially from theshaft and carries apin 24 at its outerextremity. The'gear18 is held in oiieextreme limit of spect to tlieshaft 17 shownin 'Fig'. 3,

Referring to Fig. 3 the interrupted gears by means of a tension spring 25 which is secured at one end to the pin 2 1 and at the other end to a pin 26 carried by the gear 18. The gear 19 is held in the extreme limit of movement relative with the shaft 17, as illustrated in Fig. 3, by means of a tension spring 27 secured at one end tothe pin 26 and at the other end to a pin 28 carried by the driven gear 19. It will be seen, therefore, that the gears 18 and 19 are normally yieldingly held in a predetermined relation with respect to each other and with respect to the shaft 17 with the tension of the springs tending to rotate the gears 18 and 19 in opposite directions. It will be seen by reference to Fig. 3 that the center of the key 22 and the pin 24 are on the same radial line 29 and that this radial line splits or bisects a tooth of the gears 18 and 19. This being the case, the teeth of both gears are normally held in longitudinal alinement by the tension springs 25 and 27.

It .will also be seen by reference to Fig. 8,

that the disengaged end of the keyway 20 of'the gear 18 terminates so that if this end of the keyway were moved into engagement wlth the key 22 the limit of movement would bring the key 22 into position that it would be bisected by the radial line 30, which also bisects or splits a tooth of the gear 18. The same is true of the disengaged end of the arcuate keyway 21 of the gear 19,

I which is so terminated that when the key '22 is 111 engagement with this end of the keyway 21the key will be bisected by the radial line 31 which splits or bisects a tooth of the gear 19. Therefore, when the gears M 18 and 19 are in their extreme limit of rotary movement with respect to the shaft 17 the teeth of the gears will be longitudinally alined.

.In assembling the gears 18 and 19 with their respective interrupted gears 1 and 2, the gears are placed together so that the interrupted gears are in mesh at the same time with their respective driven gears 18 and 19, and so that they will assume the relation indicated in Fig. 3 when the gears are so rotated to bring them to the position shown. Therefore, in view of the fact that the driven gears 18 and 19 are normally held in a predetermined relation with respect to one another andwith respect to the shaft, they will always be in proper position for meshing with the interrupted gears when such interrupted gears are rotated into operative engagement with the driven gears because the interrupted gears are rotated in opposite directions at equal velocities of rotation and because the teeth of the interrupted gears were longitudinally alined at the time of their assembly with relation to the driven gears are in their extreme limit of move ment with respect to the shaft 17.

Referring to Fig. 3, the interrupted gear 1 is shown as being rotated clockwise and the interrupted gear 2 counter-clockwise. These gears are so assembled that they will assume the relative positions shown in Fig. 3 at this particular stage of the operation wherein the gear 1 is just about to enter into mesh with the gear 18 prior to the time at which the interrupted gear 2 will release its engagement with the gear 19. It will, therefore, be apparent that in view of the fact that both interrupted gears are rotated with equal velocity in opposite directions that the gear 1 will be in full mesh with the gear 18 prior to the time of the disengagement of the gear 2 from the gear 19. Therefore, the gear 1 will be in full mesh before it is called upon to assume the entire load carried upon the shaft 17 which is a very desirable feature of this invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, the gears 1 and 2 and 18 and 19 respectively, are shown superimposed with the gears 1 and 18 uppermost. Here the interrupted gear 1 is shown in the position that it will occupy just at about the instant of release of the interrupted gear 2 from engagement with the gear 19. This view also shows approximately the relative position of the gears 18 and 19 with respect to the shaft 17 and the key 22. It will be seen that during this interval of movement of the interrupted gear 1 from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the position shown in Fig. 4 certain relative movement of the gears 18 and 19 has taken place resulting in certain movement of the shaft 17 in the direction it was being rotated by the gear 11) when the parts were in the position shown in Fig. 3. When the parts were in such position the gear 19 is being rotated clockwise by means of the interrupted gear 2 and the spring 27 which in this case is of sufiicient strength to carry the load and is causing the shaft 17 to be rotated counter-clockwise with the gear 19. As soon, however, as the teeth of the gear 1 come into mesh with the gear 18 the counter-cloclnvise movement of the shaft 17 will be opposed by the tension of the spring 25 which is at such time being moved counter-clockwise by the interrupted gear 1. This tension of the spring 25 tends to gradually overcome the inertia of the load beingrotated by the shaft 17 in a clockwise direction, and therefore the rotation of the shaft 17 will be gradually retarded. During the interval bet-ween the engagement of interrupted gear 1 with the gear 18 and the disengagement of the gear 2 from the gear 19 as shown in Fig. 4 the under gear 19 will continue to be rotated clockwise by the spring 27, but as this action is opposed by the spring 25 the spring 27 will be elongated under tension and the shaft and arm 23 will assume approximately the position indicated in Fig. 4, the spring 25 being elongated the most because of the inertia of the load in being retarded.

The instant the teeth of the interrupted gear 2 are disengaged from the the gear 19, the spring 25 will contract and draw the arm 23 in a counter-clockwise direction, therefore rotating the shaft 17 in the reverse direction, as indicated in Fig. 5, which shows the relative position of the parts immediately after the sprino .25 has contracted. As soon as the release of the interrupted gear 2 from the gear 19 has taken place the gear 19 is free to rotate counter-clockwise and is moved to the position shown in Fig. 3 by reason of the contracting of the spring 27. It will be seen from the foregoing that the load is first retarded by the spring 25 and accelerated in the reverse direction by the same spring when the gear 19 has rcleased. Therefore the load shaft 17 is first retarded and then reversed by means of an elastic connection between the load and the motor, thereby reducing the shock to a minimum. It will be seen from Fig. 5 that the gears 18 and 19 are in the same relative position with respect to each other and with respect to the shaft 17 as they occupied when the parts were in the position shown in Fig. 3, and that when the interrupted gear 2 is rotated so as to come into engagement po sition with the gear 19 the operation will be the same except in a reverse order and that the shaft 17 will be reversed so as to move clockwise as soon as the interrupted gear 1 moves out of engagement with the gear 18.

In the device here illustrated, it will be seen that the load shaft 17 will be reversed after every movement through approximately 180 degrees or a half revolution, which might be desirable for some forms of washing machines of the oscillating type wherein the tub is adapted to be rotated through 180 degrees and then reversed, this particular action serving best to lllustrate the principle involved. It is the purpose, however, to provide a reversing mechanism for a machine wherein the washing tub is to be rotated through four or five complete revolutions before the load shaft has reversed, in which case it is obvious that this object would be accomplished simply by having one-fourth or one-fifth the number of teeth on the gears 18 and 19 that are provided on the interrupted gears 1 and 2, respectively. p

In the device illustrated the tension of the springs 25 and 27 when contracted is preferably suflicient to carry the load, or in other words rotate the cylinder so that when the motor is shut off the loaded tub or cylinder will be rotated into one-extreme limit of rotation of the shaft with respect to the driven gear in engagement with the interrupted gear. Otherwise the load in the tub might rotate the shaft 17 out of engagement with its driving gears 18 and 19 whichever the case may be, so that the gears would not properly mesh with the disengaged interrupted gear when the motor was again started.

It is not essential, however, that the springs be sumciently strong to carry the load if a clutch is provided between the load and the shaft 17 which is adapted to hold the load stationary when the clutch is disengaged from drivinga'ction with the shaft 17. In this case the function of the springs 25 and 27 would simply be for positioning the gears 18 and 19 with respect to the shaft and for serving as shook absorber in opposing the inertia of the shaft prior to a reversing action.

In fact the arm 23 is not essential to the successful operation of the mechanism as the gears 18 and 19 might be held in a predetermined relation with respect to the shaft and with each other, by means of a spring connecting directly the pins 26 and 28 carried on the gears 18 and 19, respectively.

It is obvious that compression springs may be substituted for the tension sprlngs 9 p 2:) and 27 by making suitable provision for their anchorage so that they will serve to hold the gears 18 and 19 in their proper relation with. respect to the shaft 17. The construction illustrated may be further changed so that the interrupted gears l and 2 may have lost motion connection with their respective driving gears 4 and 5 and may be held in a predetermined relation with respect to the gears a and 5 by means of suitable springs. In this case the gears 18 and 19 should be keyed against relative rotary movement with respect to the shaft 17. It will readily be seen that the lost 'motion necessary for proper operation would be provided by the interrupted gears.

It is also obvious that numerous other changes may be made in the details of the construction, and the invention is therefore not limited to the specific structure herein illustrated and described.

What I claim is:

1. A reversing mechanism comprising in combination, a shaft, a pair of driving gears having interrupted teeth and adapted to be rotated in opposite directions to impart reverse movement to the shaft, and a pair of driven gears on the shaft, yieldingly mounted thereon for limited rotar movement with respect toeach other and to the shaft and adapted to be operatively engaged by the interrupted gears, the said interrupted gears being so arranged relatively that one interrupted gear operatively engages one of the driven gears prior to the disengagement of the other interrupted gear from the other driven gear.

2. A reversingmechanism comprising in combination, a shaft, a pair of driving gears having interrupted teeth and adapted to be rotated in opposite directions to impart reverse movement to the shaft, and a pair of driven gears on the shaft, yieldingly mounted thereon, for limited rotary movement with respect to the shaft and adapted to be operatively engaged by the interrupted gears, the" said interrupted gears being so arranged relatively that one interrupted gear operatively engages one of the driven gears prior to the disengagement of the other interrupted gear from the other driven gear.

3. A reversing mechanism comprising in combination, a shaft, a pair of driving gears having interrupted teeth and adapted to be rotated in opposite directions to impart reverse movement to the shaft, a p air of driven gears on the shaft, mounted thereon for limited rotary movement with respect to the shaft and adapted to be operatively engaged by the interrupted gears, the said interrupted gears being so arranged relatively that one interrupted gear operatively engages one of the driven gears prior to the disengagement of the other interrupted gear from the other driven gear, and means for predetermining the relative posit-ions of the driven gears with respect to the shaft whereby the disengaged driven gear will be moved to proper position for meshing with the disengaged interrupted gear by the engaged driven gear.

4:. A reversing mechanism comprising in combination, a shaft, a pair of driving gears having interrupted teeth and adapted to be rotated in opposite directions to impart reverse movement to the shaft, a pair of driven gears on the shaft, mounted thereon for limited rotary movement with respect to the shaft and adapted to be operatively engaged by the interrupted gears, the said interrupted gears being so arranged relatively that one interrupted gear operatively engages one of the driven gears prior to the disengagement of the other interrupted gear from the other driven gear, and yielding means for predetermining the relative positions of the driven gears with respect to the shaft where by the disengaged driven gear will be moved toproper position for meshing with the disengaged interrupted gear by the engaged drlven gear.

5. A reversing mechanism comprising in combination, a shaft, a pair of driving gears having interrupted teeth and adapted to be rotated in opposite directions to impart reverse movement to the shaft, a pair of driven gears on the shaft, mounted thereon for limited rotary movement with respect to the shaft and adapted to be operatively engaged by the interrupted gears, the said interrupted gears being so arranged relatively that one interrupted gear operatively engages one of the driven gears prior to the disengagement of the other interrupted gear from the other driven gear, and spring means for predetermining the relative positions of the driven gears with respect to the shaft whereby the disengaged driven gear will be moved to proper position for meshing with the disengaged interrupted gear by the engaged driven gear.

6. A reversing mechanism comprising in combination, a shaft, a pair of driving gears having interrupted teeth and adapted to be rotated in opposite directions to impart reverse movement to the shaft, a pair of driven gears on the shaft, mounted thereon for limited rotary movement with respect to the shaft and adapted to be operatively enga ged intermittently by the interrupted gears whereby the shaft is rotated in one direction while one of the gears is in mesh with one of the driven gears, and rotated in the opposite direction while the other interrupted gear is in mesh with the other driven gear, and means connecting the driven gears with the shaft whereby the gears are yieldingly held in a predetermined relation one with the other.

7. A reversing mechanism comprising in combination, a shaft, a pair of driving gears having interrupted teeth and adapted to be rotated in opposite directions to impart reverse movement to the shaft, a pair of driven gears on the shaft, mounted thereon for limited rotary movement with respect to the shaft and adapted to be operatively engaged intermittently by the interrupted gears whereby the shaft is rotated in one direction while one of the gears is in mesh with one of the driven gears, and rotated in the opposite direction while the other interrupted gear is in mesh with the other driven gear, and spring means connecting the driven gears with the shaft whereby the gears are yieldingly held in a predetermined relation one with the other with the effect of the spring means tending to rotate the said driven gears in opposite directions.

8. A reversing mechanism comprising in combination, a shaft, a pair of driving gears having interrupted teeth and adapted to be rotated in opposite directions to impart reverse movement to the shaft, a pair of driven gears on the shaft, mounted thereon for limited rotary movement with respect to the shaft and adapted to be operatively engaged intermittently by the interrupted gears whereby the shaft is rotated in one direction whilevone of the interrupted gears is in mesh with one of the driven gears, and rotated in the opposite direction while the other interrupted gear is in mesh with the other driven earner,

gear, and spring means connecting the driven gears with the shaft whereby the. gears are yieldingly held in a predetermined relation one with the other with the effect of the spring means tending to rotate the said driven gears in the direction opposed to the direction of rotation of the gears when driven by its respective interrupted gear.

9. A reversing mechanisn'i comprising in combination, a shaft, a pair of driving gears having interrupted teeth and adapted to be rotated in opposite directions to impart reverse movement to the shaft, a pair of driven gears on the shaft, mounted thereon for lim ited rotary movement with respect to the shaft and adapted to be operatively engaged intermittently by the interrupted gears whereby the shaft is rotated in one direc tion while one of the gears is in mesh with one of the driven gears, and rotated in the opposite direction while the other 'interrupted gear is in mesh with the other driven gear, and means connecting the driven gears whereby the gears are yieldingly held in a predetermined relation one with the other.

10. A reversing mechanism comprising in combination, a shaft, a pair of driving gears having interrupted teeth and adapted to be rotated in opposite directions with equal velocity to impart reverse movement to the shaft, a pair of driven gears on the shaft, mounted thereon for limited rotary movement with respce to the shaft and adapted to be operatively engaged intermittently by the interrupted gears whereby the shaft is rotated in one direction while one of the gears is in mesh with one of the driven gears, and rotated in the opposite direction while the other interrupted gear is in mesh with the other driven gear, and means connecting the driven gears with the shaft whereby the gears are yieldingly held in a predetermined relation one with the other.

.11. A reversing mechanism comprising in combination, gearing composed of a pair of gear wheels and a pair of interrupted gears disposed in driving engagement, and shaft means for said gearing, a part of said shaft means adapted to be rotated in opposite directions upon rotation of said gearing, and a part of said gearing provided with a lost motion connection with said shaft mean s operative during rotary movement of both parts of said gearing.

12. A reversing mechanism comprising in combination, gearing composed of a pair of gear wheels and a pair of interrupted gears disposed in operative engagement therewith and adapted to be rotated in opposite directions, shaft means for said gearing, a part of said shaft means adapted to be rotated in opposite directions by the interrupted gears, and a lost motion connection between the shaft means and the gearing operative during the rotary movement of both interrupted Mat! gears when said interrupted gears are simultaneously operatively engaged with the said gear wheels.

13. A reversing mechanism comprising in combination, a shaft, a pair of driving gears having interrupted teeth and adapted to be rotated in opposite directimis with equal velozrity to impart reverse movement to the shaft, and a pair of driven gears ou the shaft, mounted thereon for lin'iited rotary movement with respect to the shaft and adapted to be operatively engaged by the interrupted gears, the said interrupted gears being so arranged relatively that one interrupted gear operatively engages one of the driven i 'ears prior to the disengagement of the other interrupted gear from the other driven gear.

let. A reversing mechanism comprising in combination, a driven shaft, an auxiliary shaft, a pair of interrupted gears mounted upon the auxiliary shaft, means for rotating the interrupted gears in. opposite directions at predetermined relative velocity, a pair of driven gears mounted upon. the driven. shaft for limited relatively rotary movement upon the said shaft, and means for limiting the rotary movement of the driven gears with respect to the si'iaft so that the teeth of the driven gears will be in a predetermined. rel ative relation in both extremes of rotary movement with respectto the shaft whercl y when one driven gear is in mesh with its respective interrupteiii driving gear, the other driven gear will, when the driven gears are in any extreme of movement upon the dri veil shaft, mesh with the other interrupted d ing gear when it is rotated into opera ti gageinent with the other driven gear.

15. A reversing mechanism comprising in combination, a driven shaft, an auxiliary shaft, a pair of ii'iterrupted gears mounted upon the auxiliary shaft, means for rotating the interrupted gears in opposite directions at predetermined relative velocity, a pair of driven gears mounted upon the driven shaft for limited relative rotary movement upon the said shaft, and means including a key and lost motion keyway for limiting the rotary movement of the driven gears with respect to the shaft so that the teeth of the driven gears will be in a predetermined relative relation in both extremes of rotary movement with respect to the shaft whereby when one driven gear is in mesh with its respective interrupted driving gear, the other driven gear will, when the driven gears arein any extreme of movement upon the driven shaft, mesh with the other interrupted driven gear when it is rotated into operative engagement with the other driven gear.

16. A reversing mechanism comprising in combination, gearing composed of a pair of gear wheels and interrupted. gear means disposed for driving engagement therewith, and

shaft means for said gearing, a part of said shaft means adapted to be rotated in opposite directions upon rotation of said gearing, and a part of said gearing provided with a lost motion connection with said shaft means operative during rotary movement of both parts of said gearing.

17. A reversing mechanism comprising in combination, shaft means, a pair of gears on the shaft means mounted thereon for limited rotary movement with respect to the shaft means, and interrupted gear means adapted to operatively engage the gears, the said interrupted gear means being so arranged that both gears on the shaft means are intermittently in operative engagement with the interrupted gear means at the same time and rotated in opposite directions thereby.

18. In a reversing mechanism for washing machines, the combination of a pair of shafts, and segmental and driven gearing carried by said shafts, said driven gearing capable of limited rotary movement with respect to its shaft and provided with a yielding device operative during said movement, and members of said segmental gearing rotatable in opposite directions to impart reverse movement to the shaft carrying the members of the driven gearing, and being so arranged relatively that one segmental gear member meshes with a driven gear member to operate said yielding device prior to the disengagement of the other segmental gear member from the other driven gear member.

19. A reversing mechanism comprising in combination, shaft means, a pair of gears on the shaft means adapted to rotate the shaft means, and interrupted gearing adapted to operatively engage the gears and when rotated, adapted to intermittently rotate one gear in one direction and the other in the opposite direction, the said gears having a the shaft means mounted thereon for limited rotary movement with respect to the shaft means, interrupted gearing adapted to operatively engage the gears, the said interrupted gearing being so arranged that both gears on the shaft means are intermittently in operative engagement with the interrupted gear means at the same time and rotated in opposite directions thereby, and means for yieldingly holding the gears normally in a predetermined relation with re spect to each other.

21. In a reversing mechanism for washing machines, the combination of a pair of shafts, and segmental and driven gearing carried by said shafts, said driven gearing capable of limited rotary movement with respect to its shaft and provided with a yielding device operative during said movement, and members of said segmental gearing rotatable in opposite directions to impart reverse movement to theshaft carrying the members of the driven gearing, and being so arranged relatively that one segmental gear member meshes with a driven gear member to operate said yielding device prior to the disengagement of the other segmental gear member from the other driven gear member, said device having a driving lever conneetion with said driven gear shaft and adapted to yieldingly hold the driven gearing members in a predetermined relation with respect to each other.

BERNARD P. ELKER. 

